The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations said that 2012 was the hottest year recorded in the U.S. since the organization began tracking weather in the late 1800s. It’s not just hotter weather that is causing farmers to take notice; it’s the size and power of the new super storms. Farmers in Gallatin County showed Sen. […]

I was buying black licorice in Arlee when the Jocko Fire had just exploded in the mountains far outside the store window. By the next day nearly 2,000 acres burned. Hopefully it soon rains long and steady. There are numerous fires burning in Montana, all of which thirst for a good long rain. Most people […]

“I love Montana. I want to be here,” said former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, declining a run for the U.S. Senate. Schweitzer will enjoy private life after running three consecutive statewide campaigns. In his last election, the Democrat won reelection with nearly two-thirds majority. Needless to say, Schweitzer is popular in Montana. After three terms of […]

The price of a gallon of milk or a pound of sugar hinges on policies Congress enacts this summer in the five-year Farm Bill. The Senate passed its Farm Bill 66-27 with seven members choosing not to vote. Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester voted for the bill. Tea Party senators like Ted Cruz, […]

News of non-approved genetically engineered wheat discovered growing in Oregon put regulators on high alert. With the bulk of Montana wheat exported and Japan and North Korea temporarily suspending orders of western white wheat, markets and farmers were shaky. All GMO wheat related questions were directed to Washington D.C. Montana grows some white wheat, but […]

With Congress pledging to reauthorize a new Farm Bill before the fall deadline, there was plenty of political will to get the $1 trillion per decade spending bills toward floor votes. Last week, the Senate was voting on various floor amendments to the Farm Bill. Senators previously wanted to pass the Farm Bill before this […]

Young moms like Sylvia Malaga of Whitefish are organizing an educational day of action called the “March against Monsanto.” These events are planned in 200 places worldwide. One hundred and sixty are in the U.S with four rallies in Montana. The Kalispell event is Saturday, May 25 from noon to 5 p.m. at Depot Park. […]

The 63rd Montana Legislature is over. The assembly of elected servants passed a state budget, gave public servants a small raise, funded public education, shored up public pensions, invested in public infrastructure, and conducted themselves more-or-less with the respect that service warrants. In the closing days, politicians passed a lopsided $150 million income tax cut […]

There are not many moments left in the Montana Legislature as next week lawmakers adjourn from the regular session. Their 90 days is up. The major policy decisions facing Montana will be made over this weekend, heading into the start of the next and final week. Bills once tabled easily resurface amended into other bills […]

Speaker of the House Mark Blasdel, R-Somers, and Senate President Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, are unlikely to let Montana expand access to free federal health care for nearly 70,000 Montanans. The federal Affordable Care Act budgeted free Medicaid health insurance expansion to all citizens with incomes of less than $15,400 annually. The catch being that the […]

Next week Montana’s Legislature begins hearings on the most critical bills of the session. Lawmakers must choose whether to expand Medicaid in Montana, with the federal government paying for 100 percent of the cost over the next three years and 90 percent thereafter. Over the next eight years Montana’s economy could see a $6 billion […]

Rep. Pat Noonan, D-Ramsay, is one of the handfuls of moderates serving in the 2013 Montana Legislature. Noonan serves with other moderates like Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad. Jones carries the new natural resources component for public school financing. Notably Noonan sponsored this Legislature’s most critical task, to implement Montana’s Medicaid expansion. Over the next four […]

Montana Senate President Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, and Speaker of the House Mark Blasdel, R-Somers, worked and voted for the 2009 property tax reappraisal law. This policy established property tax mitigation policies for homes, small businesses, farmers and timberland owners. Reappraisal interlaced property tax policy to the real estate boom years of 2002 to 2008. Both […]

The sordid details of legislative infighting made statewide newspaper headlines. That’s not new to Montana politics. The Montana Legislature often exhibits its ruthless political mannerisms. What was surprising in the leaked political emails was not the tone, nor the quest for raw political power, but rather a seemingly simple redistricting statement by Senate President Jeff […]

The Montana Legislature ventured into its third week of policymaking with public overtures of cooperation and collaboration. That’s a welcome change from the last legislative session, which was dominated by socially derisive bills. The Legislature traditionally convenes biannually for a maximum of 90 days. In some sessions work gets done; other Legislatures do little but […]